RAM Posts - Page 4

Samsung just announced today that they have begun mass production of the industry's first 3D TSV technology based DDR4 modules for enterprise related products. Samsung has said: "announcing that we have begun mass producing the industry's first 64GB DDR4 RDIMMs that use 3D 'through silicon via' (TSV) package technology. The new 64GB TSV module performs twice as fast as a 64GB module that uses wire bonding packaging, while consuming approximately half the power."

"Samsung's volume production of 3D TSV modules marks a new milestone in the history of memory technology, following the company's initial production of 3D Vertical NAND (V-NAND) flash memory last year. While 3D V-NAND technology embraces high-rise vertical structures of cell arrays inside a monolithic die, 3D TSV is an innovative packaging technology that vertically interconnects stacked dies. With its introduction of the new TSV modules, Samsung has further strengthened its technological leadership in the '3D memory' era. Samsung has worked on improving 3D TSV technology since it developed 40nm-class* 8GB DRAM RDIMMs in 2010 and 30nm-class* 32GB DRAM RDIMMs in 2011 using 3D TSV. This year, Samsung started operating a new manufacturing system dedicated to TSV packaging, for mass producing the new server modules."

In order for Samsung to build these 3D TSV modules, the dies are ground down to a few dozen micrometers, and then pierced to contain hundreds of fine holes. Electrodes passing through the holes allow them to be vertically connected and stacked. In the future Samsung believes they will be able to stack more than four dies using 3D TSV technology.

We've already seen a bunch of other memory manufactures unveil their DDR4 RAM, but now we have G.SKILL joining the high-speed ranks. The company has just unveiled its new Ripjaws 4 series of RAM, which has speeds starting at 2133MHz, all the way up to 3200MHz.

There are a bunch of 32GB kits available at 2133, 2400, 266, 2800 and 3000MHz, as well as 64GB kits available at 2133, 2400, 2666 and 2800MHz. If you want the 3200MHz kit, they'll only come in a 16GB kit, with four x 4GB sticks. G.SKILL's new Ripjaws 4 RAM supports most of Intel's upcoming quad-channel capable X99-based motherboards, including Intel's new XMP 2.0 profile standard.

Intel's upcoming Haswell-E platform will reportedly only support up to 2133MHz, with 2400MHz and above kits being helped out by XMP 2.0 to run at their much higher frequencies. G.SKILL has also slapped on an updated heatspreader, which comes in three colors: blue, black and red. Pre-orders are beginning to pop up in the US, with the 2133MHz 16GB kit priced at $259.

Corsair has just taken the wraps off of its new DDR4 RAM, where it has announced two DDR4 kits in its Dominator Platinum range. Both of the new DDR4-powered products are 16GB kits, with a 2800MHz kit, and a 2666MHz kit.

The faster of the two is the Dominator Platinum Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4 DRAM 2800MHz C16 Memory Kit (CMD16GX4M4A2800C16), while the second kit is the Dominator Platinum Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4 DRAM 2666MHz C15 Memory Kit (CMD16GX4M4A2666C15). Both of the new DDR4 kits include XMP 2.0, which allows for super easy automatic overclocking. Both of the kids also support Corsair Link, so that you can use the software for temperature monitoring, and even the ability to enhance the white LED lighting on the RAM itself.

Corsair offers a limited lifetime warranty on its Dominator Platinum RAM, so you won't have to worry about spending a considerable sum on RAM, and not have the kick ass support behind it. Corsair is selling the 2800MHz kit for $539.99, while the 2666MHz kit is slightly cheaper at $479.99.

We've already seen ADATA unveil its DDR4 kits, but they're only sitting at 2133MHz, and what fun is that? The company has now just unveiled its new enthusiast-focused DDR4 kits, named the XPG Z1 DDR4. These new kits are kicking up some speeds, and even though they don't match some of the insane speeds of DDR3, they're still faster than the original kits, at 2800MHz.

ADATA will maek its new XPG Z1 DDR4 kits available as 4GB and 8GB modules, with 1.2V of power required in both dual- and quad-channel kits. The new kits are rated to run at 2133MHz at CL 15 15-15, or CL 13 13-13 timings. Cranking it up to 2400MHz, we have CL 16 16-16, and then we have the 2800MHz setting which sees the timings relaxed more to CL17 17-17.

The new kits are based on an advanced 10-layer printed-circuit boards with 2oz copper, meaning they're designed for some serious overclocking. The new ADATA XPG Z1 DDR4 kits sport a new cooling system, which features a very nice looking jet wing-inspired design with carbon texture that is used on race cars, which gives off the impression of serious performance. ADATA will make its new XPG Z1 DDR4 kits available to consumers next month, with a lifetime warranty.

Every kit of RAM is quad channel, with 4x8GB (32GB) and 4x4GB kits (16GB) up for pre-order, with a shipping data of the 29th of August. We have multiple speeds on offer, starting from 2133MHz, with an option for 2400MHz, 2666MHz and the blistering 3000MHz option for a huge $1120 (or so).

DDR4 will make its debut later this year when Intel launches its Haswell-E and X99 platform, but ADATA has come out and officially launched its first kit of DDR4 RAM for consumers in the form of their new Premier line of DDR4 RAM.

We have JEDEC specifications on the DDR4 base frequency of 2133MHz, with sub-timing latencies of 15-15-15 at 1.2V. ADATA has hit this exact line of specs for its first DDR4 modules, but we should expect higher frequencies to be right around the corner. The first DDR4 pack from DDR4 comes in a 16GB kit, with two 8GB sticks in the pack. We should expect ADATA to officially have this on shelves within the next couple of months.

Micron has just shown off the world's first 8Gb DDR3 memory chips, something that will pave the way for massive kits of memory. Before now, 8Gb memory chips were created by stacking together multiple 2Gb or 4Gb chips.

This new 8Gb chip will allow the company to provide cost-effective, high-capacity solutions for servers, and more. Robert Feurle, Vice President of Compute and Networking Marketing at Micron said: "The ability to scale with our customers' accelerating memory demand was a key driver in developing this 8Gb DDR3 design. We are committed to working together with our partners to minimize risk, maximize flexibility and optimize total cost of ownership".

Micron bakes these 8Gb chips onto RAM using a 25nm process, with the first commercial products to come out of the oven being 32GB DDR3 DIMMs for servers.

The DDR4 game is heating up, with Smart Modular Technologies now shipping its DDR4 in sample quantities. The new DDR4 memory modules are designed for servers, micro-servers, workstations, storage and networking applications.

Smart Modular's lineup includes DDR4-2133 1.2V modules, including VLP (very low profile) and standard height RDIMMs up to 16GB in size. ECC SO-DIMMs are available, but only up to 8GB. The new DDR4 288-pin DIMMs feature everything that DDR4 has going for it, including improved power efficiency, higher performance, enhanced system reliability and more.

These samples are currently being seeded out for qualification in next-gen server, storage and networking applications, all of which are expected to launch later this year, and into 2015.

Micron is planning for the near-future by preparing a 'Hybrid Memory Cube' that will provide 15 times more bandwidth compared to traditional DDR3 memory sticks that you get today. Even with the newer DDR4 implementation, like the one in Japan retail shelves, the HMC is still going to provide fives times more bandwidth.

Along with the bandwidth boost, the new memory type will also draw 70 percent lesser energy. Micron plans to achieve this by stacking memory as stacked chips using a connection type called 'Through Silicon Via'. That said, the memory will be required to be soldered on the motherboard near the CPU.

HMC will also have other features that are not present in DIMM-type DDR implementations. These include debug, more error correction features and also have logic layers.

The DDR4 RAM is being sold in 16GB and 32GB modules, which are priced at $350 and $685, respectively. Expensive, but you could actually build a system with 128GB of RAM, which is a great thing for high-perfomance and enthusiast users. Intel should better introduce us to both DDR4 and its X99 chipset at the upcoming IDF event, so continue checking back until then.